Clothes-pin



(NO Mdel.)

W. RICHARDS.

CLOTHES PIN.

.. M12 w Z /V w N W W W lINiTE STATES VILIAH RICHARDS, OF ROCHESTER, NEWT YORK.

cLoTHEs-PIN.

SPECIFIATION formng partof Letters Patent No. 443,602, dated December 30, 1890. Application filed June 19, 1889. Serial No. 314,791. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RICHARDs, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improyement in Clothes-Pins; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this specification.

My improvement relates to that class of clothes-pins in which the jaws are held toget-her by a spring-Wire and a hook is used to suspend the pin on the line.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figurel is a front clevation of my improved clothes-pin. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a cross-section in line x x of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an edge elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing' a modiiication.

A A' indicate the two jaws, which are preferably made of Wood of the form shown and turning on a center pivot or bearing a. This pivot consists of a piece of Wire with its ends bent, form ing short claws b Z), which are driven into the Wood of one of the jaws, and the other jaw is formed with a groove c, which fits loosely over the rounded side of the pivot. The clamping-spring hereinafter described holds the j aws together, and a loose joint is thus produced, which is as effective as a tight pivot, while considcrable expense is thus saved in the construction.

B indicates the clamping-spring. It is made from a single length of spring-Wire of suitable size. The two ends start from the point cl, Where they are united by a clasp f of sheet metal or other means. Thence they eX- tend upward on the face of the clothes-pin, forming the line-clamp g g, which catches over the suspending cord or wire O. At the top a coil h is formed on each side, which gives increased elasticity; but, if desired, the Wire may be formed without any coils at this point, as shown in the modification, Fig. 5. Thence the two sides of the wire pass inward transversely across lugs 7,' formed at the top of the front jaw A, as shown at lc k, and thence they turn down and extend longitudinally on the outer face of the jaw, resting in a cavity Z, as shown at m m. Thence they cross the two jaws to the back side below the pivot, being formed with side coils n n, which rest against the edges of both jaws. Thence they extend down longitudinallyon each side of the back, as shown at 0 o, and finally they cross the back, as shown at p, completing the circuit. This spring-Wire serves several difierent purposes. First, it clam'ps the two jaws together, so that they always remain in contact at the pivot-al point whether the j aws are open or closed; second, they clamp the two lower ends of the jaws together to hold the cloth, this clamping action being produced by the two opposing cross-lengths on opposite faces of the clothes-pin below the pivot; third, the side coils n n at the edges inclose the jaws and keep them in alignment at all times and prevent lateral displacement; fou rth, the front lengths g g form an open clamp, which can be hooked upon the supporting wire or cord O. It is obvious that the construction of the .clamping-wire can be modified more or less Without departing from the invention. For instance, a greater or less number of the spring-coils can be used, and they may be located at any desired point.

In use the clothes-pins are attached to the clothes before the clothes are hung out. This is done by clamping them on the clothes at intervals and may be donein the house. The clothes are then carried out and hu ng on the line. They are attached to the line by simply hooking the clampg g over the line, as shown in Fig. 2. This clainp hugs the line closely and holds the clothes in place. any contact of the clothes with the line, and therefore soiling by contact with the line and di'fficulty of removal therefrom are avoided. It is of especial advantage in Winter, as it obviates the freezing of the clothes to the line and the danger of tearing in removal of the clothes. It also insures comfort, as but little time is required to hang out or take in the clothes, as the pins can be applied or removed in the house, and the simple work'of hanging to or removing from the line is only required out of doors.

The lower clamping ends of the jaws may be constructed in any desired manner. Fig.

It prevents IOO eral of such corrugations.

Having described iny invention, I do not elaim, broadly, a spring clamping wire nor a hook by which to suspend the clothes'pin to the line.

That I elaim as new, and desre to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the pivoted jaws A A', of the spring elainping Wire B, elnbrae- :ing the jaws below the pivot, constructed with lengths m m, which extend to the top of the jaw A and around lugs z' I17, and the outside return-lengths g g, extending down outside the jaw and formng a double-sided elamp for hooking on the line, as herein shown and deseribed.

2. The combination, with the jaws A A', of

TILLIAM RICIIARDS.

\Vitnesses:

R. F. OsGooD, P. A. CosTIo/H. 

